Okay, so when we last left off, we had just rescued Vaughn from the sandy creek and were heading deeper into the woods on our newly discovered "road".
The grey sky is giving way to blue. The exertion of helping Vaughn has led to some body heat build up under all these layers. The vest and grips have been turned off, the sun is shining. What a fantastic day for this kind of riding!
Leaves fall from the trees like flitting butterflies slipping in and out of the sun rays piercing the thinned canopy of branches. There are few places I would rather be at the moment. We round another corner to find a gate and a fork. The GPS shows the fork going off the wrong direction and the route through the gate. Again, it is wide open and there are no signs about trespassing, so we head through.
The woods give way to open pastures and more cows. We come upon a small herd that is scattered on both sides of the road and have to ride through them. Unpredictable as these beasties can be, I slowly idle through them keeping a wary eye on all. A few small calves break and run a bit, some momma cows move away, but most just stand there watching with slight disinterest. The more imminent danger is the prevalence of big fresh land mines on the road...
I delicately weave my way among them until I am past, then the others follow suit. The road moves on into another pasture and we come upon a very large stock pond.
We soon encounter a second group of cattle and have to repeat our nice and slow process to get beyond them. The road curves up and down over some gentle hills, through a few more cattle guards and then finally to a locked gate, a few yards from the paved road we are hoping to intersect... The chain has no less than 8 locks on it! Having experienced something like this in Big Bend where one of the locks was not closed, I take a minute to check them all carefully. No dice. So we turn around and backtrack all the way back to CR 3495. Now familiar with the road, the run back to the CR is faster and fun!
We hit CR 3495 and head Northeast toward CR 3485, then North up to FM 2915. West from there and barely a half mile down the road we pass the locked gate where had been a short while ago. It's a good thing we did not have to backtrack very far, hehe. FM 2915 turns to the Northwest and soon becomes hard packed gravel/sand. I am having so much fun cruising along that I forget to watch the GPS and blow right past my intended turn. When I come to a familiar corner, I realize we've gone to far and we have to make a U-turn. In doing so, we stop to check out the local, apparently now defunct, church.
The Vistula Union Grove Church
No markers anywhere though
We head back up the road a short ways and find the turn off, what I had thought was a driveway when passing it a few minutes ago. I see the CR 3470 marking for the road, we cross another cattle guard and the road runs down a long hill alongside another beautiful creme colored pasture glowing in the sun. At the bottom of the hill, the pasture ends and the woods start. The road gets very narrow and looks as if it is seldom travelled by anything other than the occasional deer. The sand is still quite firm and does not present a problem but the leaves and pine needles are making the bike squirm and slide a bit. Smooth and steady is the game, not a heavy throttle hand.
We soon reach an opening in the woods and an intersrection. There are several grown over paths leading to the West and off into the woods. They look inviting but are no doubt dead ends into private property. The road to the right looks wide and nice, but our route indicates we should keep going, further into the woods on what looks like a vanishing road... Scarecely a few hundred yards further and we come to a few downed trees over the road. We stop to take a look and Vaughn is for wheeling over them... He has never ridden a GS... As luck would have it, there is a bit of room to get around on the edge in the loose sand and leaves. I cautiously make my way around and we keep going.
Just before the downed trees, there is a gate into a pasture. Just after the trees, the road changes drastically. It would seem no one ever goes any further than this gate. The tire tracks have become deeply potholed ruts and I have to ride the center, which has a slight hump to it. The road starts heading down hill and the bike is picking up speed. I barely apply the brake and the front end starts to wash out from under me. I reflexively give it some gas and it comes back to me. Nothing like the buzz from a quick adrenalin shot!!
When the trail levels out a bit, I notice that the road is mostly covered in small bamboo plants. At this point I am wondering if we have reached the end of the trail. So I stop and we take a break.
See the road?
Looking back the way we came
Georiga's sweet DRZ400 and Mark's newly painted GS
Vaughn peeks around the corner through the bamboo and claims the road gets better just a short ways up. We finish removing some layers of clothing because of the heat and then head out to see if he is right or not. At this point, there is a road simply because there are no trees growing where a road used to be. I am running over small saplings and downed branches. Here is where the bulk of the GS pays off, hehe. But then we come to a large branch hanging down from a tree and covering the road. While I pause to consider, Vaughn cruises by me and threads his way through. Well, I can't very well turn around now can I?
It is a tight fit for the fat jugs of the GS. I snag the end of a log with the left jug and drag it with me at a crawling pace until I am clear. Georgia and Mark make it through without any problems. But now the bamboo is pretty thick and there is not even a trace of a road. Vaughn walks up ahead to find a deep creek and a long since collapsed bridge. End of the line. Backtracking time!
Itching for some fun, Vaughn takes off in the lead and will be waiting at the last intersection for us pokies. We start picking our way back through the overgrowth, branches, and potholes. When I get back to the trees crossing the road, I just plow over them. They are so rotted that they crumble under the weight of the GS. I check the mirrors and see Georgia and Mark coming up the hill behind me and then stand back up on the pegs to negotiate the rest of the hill. When I reach the top and find Vaughn waiting, he looks back and asks me where everyone else is...
We wait a minute or two and then head back. We find Georgia and Mark stopped just on this side of the downed trees. Georgia has sand all over her left shoulder and hip but she is up walking around and looks fine. The bike is fine and just has some dirt/grass on it. Apparently she cleared the first tree an then ran right over the second, not so rotten, tree and it knocked her over. We make sure everything is good to go and head back up the hill. At the intersection, we decide to explore the more open looking road to see if it heads over and hooks up with our intended route.
We head East into the woods. The road is smooth with a red tint to the dirt. I ride in the center where grass is growing and traction is better. We pass through a clearing where another small path heads off to the right. When I bring my attention back to the road, I see that I am barrelling down on some pretty good sized potholes. I brake fairly hard and swerve to miss them. Then I see Georgia hit them square on! Water flies up and out to the sides but she is still up and moving
Even though he sees Georgia hit them, Mark does the same thing on his GS and hits quite hard! He's still up and running as well. I never even see Vaughn but doubt he has any problems. In fact, I would expect him to gas his way right through it, hehe. After maybe a half mile, we hit an intersection and head North to what should be the continuation of our lost road. Sure enough, we hit CR 3450 right where the old road would come out. Back on track , we head East on 3450.
One of the problems with planning these routes is that it is very difficult to know ahead of time if the roads on the map are private or public, of if they even exist at all! We come to our next turn and it looks like a driveway into private property. Vaughn heads in a short way to make sure and it is. So we keep heading Northeast until we reach FM 3151, a nice smooth and twisty FM. We head South and soon pass the road where we would have come out had we been able to cut through as planned. Just beyond that we turn East on Hickory Hill Rd and head down into the woods again. More sand but still nicely packed.
Despite what some people may think, you can get lost using a GPS. Trust me...
Somehow I get myself mentally turned around and we go right instead of left at the proverbial fork in the road. The good thing about the GPS is I don't have to go far before I know something is amiss. Of course, my first thought is, "This thing isn't woking right!" I really should know better
Once again we get everyone turned around and heading the right way. We get on CR 3540, a nice straight road where we can get up to speed and have some fun, and soon drop out onto FM 230 just West of Lovelady. We roll into town and get gas. Per my normal mode of operating, I ask a local about the best place to eat. She recommends Momma's Cafe up the road.
When we first pull into the parking lot, I am wondering if this is a restaurant or a plant nursery!? The place just looks like a huge greenhouse grafted onto the side of a mobil home.
Knowing from past experience that the least likely looking places can often be the best places, we decide to venture inside. There are plants EVERYWHERE! This is in fact a greenhouse. There is a path leading to a decked walkway through the plants. The sound of running water emanates from somewhere back in the greenery. The walkway becomes a ramp that leads up onto a porch running the length of the building. There are some tables along the rail and a door leading inside. Marks heads inside to find someone while we takeover one end of the porch.
My mom would go nuts in here...
She loves plants!
We get our order placed and hang out talking about the riding so far. Seems everyone is having a blast and can't believe the turn in the weather! Before we know it, the food comes out and it is good! The steak fries are hot and huge! The best part is that my grilled sheese sandwhich, fries and two drinks cost me a whopping $2.99!!?? This is my kind of place! As we are gearing up to leave, the owner comes out and takes a picture of us for their wall, hehe. Mark and Georgia need to be getting back so they head down Hwy 19 back to I-45. Vaughn and I decide to keep going to check out as much of the route as we can.
We head North out of Lovelady on... Lovelady Rd.
At first, I miss the turn again and we have to spin back around to get on the right road. Then we are off running down into the woods again. Already the warmest part of the day is fading and I can feel a chill creeping back into my bones. I try to focus on the ruts in the road and put the chill out of my mind. We pick up the pace a bit and are having a great time. The funny thing about these areas is that many of the roads have local names that have "cemetery" somewhere in them. We soon reach Rockland Cemetery Rd. (CR 4035) and head East, then South on CR 4037.
I am standing up, cruising along and having a grand ol time. I see a slight rise in the road ahead with no good indication of where it goes beyond the rise. Always trying to err on the side of caution, I slow wayyy down. As I crest the rise I see that the road bends in a sharp ninety to the left and is all deep loose sand... I try to slow as much as I can, then climb up on the bike and lean into the turn. No go...
The Tourances have ZERO bite in the loose sand and I start losing the front end. Instinct kicks in and I sit and tag out my left leg as I hit the gas. The bike pops up and my left digs into the soft sand, staying put as the bike keeps going. My leg gets stretched a little beyond its' normal everyday routine and will no doubt be letting me know about its' disapproval later this evening. I manage to come to a complete stop, still right side up, when Vaughn slides up next to me laughing, "Good save!" None the worse for the wear, I cautiously set out again, really watching the corners as it does not seem they got much rain over here in the last few days.
We reach CR 4025 and head generally to the Northeast. More sand, more ruts and another of those loose corners. This time I am ready! I see that beyond the corner is a nice open area covered with grass. So I intentionally blow straight through the corner, hit the nice firm grass, crank the bike over and get it pointed straight out of the corner and get back on gas, wiggling my way through the sand like a snake on crack. The road firms back up again and we are off and running until we come to a cool bridge.
I love the long shadows at this time of day. Everything takes on a soft glow in the fading sun.
An old dilapidated barn crumbling from a forgotten past
We eventually come out on Old Crockett Rd (FM 2712) and head South. Not far down we head East on Fodice Rd. More sand... We hit a lot of fun corners and soon reach CR 4200 and head South, then onto CR 4250, still heading South until we reach FM 1280. We run 1280 just over a mile and then head South on Glendale Holly Rd. More sand... But at least the sand is a little more packed again so I can run without too much worry. We soon find ourselves at the Little White Rock Creek Bridge. There is a cool old wood deck bridge with steel trestles, closed. We are on the modern ugly chunk of concrete: efficient, cost effective, far stronger, longer lasting, and just plain boring
I convince Vaughn to ride out onto the old bridge... I love riding with Vaughn, hehe.
Big thick planks, no worries about falling through...
A good thing too because it is a long way down
Just beyond the bridge is our next turn, which is supposed to be McMillan Rd. It is a barely visible track through a pasture behind a locked gate... It is times like there where I have to improvise a new route that having a GPS with a larger display than my Garmin 60CS would be nice. By the time I am zoomed out far enough to see a large area, I lose the detail I need even when the detail is set to max. A 276 would be nice as it has twice the display size and makes this kind of of route navigation much easier. We continue Southeast on Glendale Holly Rd., and soon hit Hwy 94 just South of Glendale.
We head North up Hwy 94 to Thronton Church Rd. The new plan is to head Northwest on this road and try to pick up Evans Rd., which would get us back on route. We head up Thronton Church Rd and soon find the church, a very small one room wood frame building. Looks like it might seat 50-75 people. Next to it under the trees is the old cemetery and a historical marker. It seems some guy, his extended family and some friends all moved out here in the early 1800's and setup a farming community. This church was the focal point of their social activities. If it were not getting late in the afternoon, I would be inclined to park the bike and walk around for a bit. I love checking out the headstones in the old cemeteries.
Many of the graves are pre Civil War. Europeans living in cities millenia old might wonder what the big deal is, but for me it is a neat connection to a time long ago. I can't help but wonder what life must have been like out here. There was no 911 in the event of emergency. There was no established police force to serve and protect. Indoor plumbing was still science fiction. Electricity was still a lab curiousity for Scientists to play with. Large grocery stores weren't even imagined. No phones, internet, or cable TV existed. There was no all encompassing government to solve all their problems. These people had to be truly independent, a thing which most of us now can hardly conceive.
Time is wasting so we get back on the road and tear off into the woods... to find another locked gate... doh!! We work our way back to the main highway and consider our options. The planned route still takes us further North and East, away from home. There is absolutely no way we will be able to do the whole route, so now I am looking for an interesting way to cut it short. Directly across the highway is South Thronton Church Rd and it looks to hook up with the Old Lister Place Rd which should drop us down onto part of the original homebound portion of our route. So off we go!
Once we get onto the Old Lister Place Rd., things get fun. The road is fairly wide and smooth, but it is all sand. Nothing to do but stand up and stay on the gas. I start chanting in my head... "elbows up and loose, weight forward, relax, knees loose, stay on the gas..." The bike squirms and writhes under me, feeling like it is flirting with the edge of disaster the whole time. Many of the corners are big long sweepers and the criss-crossing ruts desperately grasp at my front tire trying to being me down. "Stay on the gas..."
In what is not the first time today, I find I have once again let my enjoyment of the riding get the best of my navigation...
When I finally happen to glance down, I see that we have long since gone past our turn off. We are deep in the woods and the place is awesome. We reach a loose sandy intersection and slide/wiggle to a stop. The current track will eventually dead end into Lake Livingston so we have to turn back. Great... right back through those fast sweepers hehe. We get turned around, quite the challenge on these soft narrow roads with steep crowns. I have had to get off the GS a few times and push/pull it around. Getting too far from the center of the road could result in the backend sinking right into the really soft stuff on the edge.
We head back up through the sweepers and find our turn. I look to my right, which is where we would have come from if we were still on the original route, and see a locked Forestry Service gate, mental note for future rides. We go left through an open gate with some kind of sign on it. About a hundred yards in I spot a deer stand and it occurs to me this must be a private deer lease, right about the time Vaughn comes hauling up beside me waving hehe. Not wanting to be shot, we turn around and have to backtrack all the way to the main highway again. At this point, I decide it is time to make tracks for home or it will be getting dark.
So ends the dirt riding for the day. From here on out, we are paving the way home. We run Hwy 94 into Trinty and pick up FM 230 heading West out of town. The temperature has really started to drop now that the sun is getting low. Cold as I am, I really don't want to bother stopping to get out the chord for the electric vest or put on any layers. We'll be home shortly. FM 230 out of Trinity is really quite a nice ride. It has some great elevatoins changes and fun curves. It runs through some nice Pine woods and beautiful ranch properties. We enjoy it at a crisp pace
We soon reach FM 3478 and head for FM 980 on the other side of the Trinity River. From there it is a few miles back into town. We pull into the driveway around 4:30pm, a little bit before dark. My leg is just sore enough to flit around the edge of my awareness but nothing that will cause problems. Vaughn gets his bike loaded up in the back of the truck and heads for home soon after.
We had to chop off a big portion of the route. I had so much fun that now I have a strong itch to get out there and keep exploring. As much fun as I have on the big GS, I really do want a good 650 sized bike for this kind of riding. I just can't bring myself to part with the GS and can't swing two bikes. Oh the cruel vagaries of life!!
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The drizzling has stopped and I see a few spots of blue trying to peak through the gloomy overcast. Call me a wimp, but I have the heated grips on high and the electric vest cranked up. I hate being cold, at all. We reach CR 3585 and head Northwest towards Weldon, a long forgotten small town.
Well, the Topo maps often show roads that are very old and no longer in use, sometimes they no longer even exist! So we turn around and head back to the fork to take the road less travelled...
I started on one, and don't really ever want a DS bike without a kicker. You've seen me ride it enough to know it always starts if you kick hard enough.